Written by Ira Friedman

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In Starrett’s halls and Snap-on’s steady hand,

Two worlds converged to meet a great demand.

We forged a bond while working on that task,

With shared ideals—it was all we had to ask.

From different banners, we found a common ground,

In Earl, a brother and a kindred soul I found.

Together we built a map for those in need,

A curriculum sown with a transformative seed.

Because of the knowledge this labor imparts,

Careers are blooming and hope fills the hearts.

His legacy lives in the jobs people gain,

Breaking the cycle and easing the strain.

I remember the lights of a Parisian night,

Where the three of us sat under Paris light.  

My wife my  friend and I, 

sat at a table in a corner booth under a gable. 

The meal was a feast, the laughter was long,

Three friends in the city where we  all did belong.

Those moments in France are etched in the soul,

A piece of the story that made our lives whole.

But now there’s a void where your presence once stood,

A hole in our hearts that no logic makes good.

It’s a cavernous space, wide and deep in its luck,

Large enough to drive through a Snap-on truck.

And though the sun rises, it lacks its old gold,

The birds sing their songs, but they’re jagged and cold.

The brook moves in silence, a slow-moving stream,

And the rain falls like ice from a fractured dream.

The world is out of tune, the air carries a chill,

As we learn to walk forward while time stands so still.

Yet soon, the sun shall regain its bright throne,

With a glory more radiant than we’ve ever known.

The birds will soon warble in harmony’s grace,

With a beauty that echoes the light of Earls face.

The brook will start babbling with newfound delight,

And the rain will fall sweet, refreshing, and bright.

Earl, your gift to mankind is a treasure so rare,

Unequaled by many, beyond all compare.

It will endure as a legacy, sturdy and true,

A testament built from the spirit of you.

Your memory guides us to be better each day,

As we work in your honor to find a new way.

The world is much better for having you here,

And we’ll carry you with us, forever and near.

In loving Memory,

Ira